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AACT Earns Rookie of the Year Award in NASA Moonbuggy Race
Reno, NV (April 14, 2011) - Students from the Academy of Arts, Careers and Technology (AACT) might have been among the newest schools to enter the NASA Moonbuggy Race this year, but they showed absolute determination in giving their best, taking home the 10th place prize and being recognized as "Rookie of the Year" in the race's high school division.
The 18th annual NASA Great Moonbuggy Race, which took place April 1 and 2 at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., hosted about 90 student teams, including WCSD's AACT. The competition helps students learn problem-solving skills while exposing them to careers in engineering, science and space exploration. Twenty-two states and a number of countries were represented. The Moonbuggy Race was born out of the era of innovation in which the first Apollo-era lunar rover cross the moon's surface 40 years ago.
The objective of the race is to build a two-person, human-powered buggy and then produce the fastest assembly of this buggy and compete for the fastest race times. Teams can be penalized while traveling on a half-mile course of rock, gravel, sand and other materials. Students must demonstrate they can power their own buggy with one female and one male student riding over the course. Each buggy must include lunar rover-style fenders, a flag and simulated batteries, communications antenna, radio and TV camera.
Buggy drivers race against time rather than each other. Judges give penalty points if drivers' hands or feet touch the ground or if the vehicle loses equipment. Participants must go over each obstacle in their path without overturning their machine or surpass 10 minutes on the clock.
Top prizes are awarded to the three teams in each division that post the best assembly and race times. While AACT earned 10th out of 87 teams overall in the high school division, they also received an award for being the fastest rookie team of the year from Northrop Grumman Corp. Every participating team also receives a plaque.
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About Washoe County School District: The
Washoe County School District includes the Reno/Sparks metropolitan
area, Incline Village, Gerlach, Empire and Wadsworth, Nevada. The
District provides each of its 63,000 students with a superior education
in a safe and challenging environment and is committed to graduate every
child career and college ready.
For more information visit: www.washoecountyschools.org. Follow us on Twitter at WCSDTweet.
Washoe County School District
425 East Ninth Street
Reno, NV 89520
